Resources

New Zealand — a small country of 4.3 million people — has a single national education system, a system in which other countries might benefit from.

This case study:

• Provides an overview of the New Zealand education system, including curriculum and assessment; school type; resources and funding; and student population
• Explores the country’s school improvement efforts, including policy context; how low-performing schools are identified and their needs assessed; and current and future changes
• Reviews school improvement research, including the criteria for low performance and interventions; and findings from research on school conditions
• Profiles specific school improvement efforts
• Describes lessons learned and implications for other countries

This is one of four case studies developed in mid-2009 for the U.S. Department of Education that focus on how countries other than the United States have been addressing the challenge of turning around their low-performing schools. The other three case studies focus on Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.